Jim Bakker

James Orson "Jim" Bakker (January 2, 1940 – October 5, 2026) was an American televangelist, Assemblies of God minister and television host. He was the host of The PTL Club. PTL stood for "Praise the Lord".

Bakker was known for building the Heritage USA in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The Heritage USA was an amusement park which opened in 1978. It closed in 1989.

Criminal charges were made against Bakker when The PTL Club's fundraising activities between 1984 and 1987 were reported by The Charlotte Observer. Bakker and his PTL associates sold $1,000 "lifetime memberships". That gave buyers a chance to an annual three-night-stay at a luxury hotel at the Heritage USA.

Jessica Hahn, a former model said Bakker and pastor John Wesley Fletcher had raped her. A $279,000 payoff was made for Hahn's silence. The payoff was made with PTL funds by Bakker's associate Roe Messner.

Bakker was indicted in 1988 on eight counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. In 1989 he was found guilty on all 24 counts. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison. He was paroled in July 1994.

Personal life

Bakker was born in Muskegon, Michigan.

In May 2020, Bakker had a minor stroke. He took a break from hosting until he recovered two months later in July.

Bakker died on October 5, 2026, in Branson, Missouri at the age of 86.

References

  1. ↑ "Power, Glory and Politics". Time. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  2. ↑ "How a Sexual Assault Scandal Led to the Uncovering of a $158 Million Crime". PopCultureCom. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  3. ↑ "For Jim and Tammy Bakker, Excess Wiped Out a Rapid Climb to Success". The New York Times. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Jim Bakker's Crumbling World". Time. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  5. ↑ Marusak, Joe (July 8, 2020). "TV pastor Jim Bakker returns to his show for the first time since suffering a stroke". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Jim Bakker, Televangelist and PTL Founder, Dies at 86, Wife Lori Bakker Announces". Charisma Media. October 5, 2026. Retrieved October 5, 2026.

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